Arsenal Boost as Sampdoria President Confirms Lucas Torreira Exit Rumours

Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has confirmed the sale of star midfielder Lucas Torreira for €30 million (£26.3 million) amid strong links with Arsenal.

While it's unclear whether the Gunners were the ones to make the bid, no club has been linked as strongly with the Uruguay international.

Ferrero spoke to Sportitalia (h/t football.london's Greg Johnson) to confirm the deal:

"Sampdoria do not sell unless there are excellent offers. We do not look for buyers. We have natural talents whose value increases exponentially. ... 

"Torreira has left for €30 million. I bought him from Pescara when nobody believed. We bet and we won, paying just €3 million. The money that comes in is used to keep the club going."

Italian football insider Fabrizio Romano didn't doubt Torreira's destination:

The 22-year-old was one of Serie A's top breakout stars last season, standing out for his versatile skill set. He impressed as both a passer and defensive midfielder, drawing comparisons to Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and former Arsenal man Santi Cazorla.

Like Kante, Torreira wins battles in midfield without using impressive size or overpowering strength―things neither have. Instead, the metronome uses leverage and boundless energy, as well as smart positional skills.

Per WhoScored.com, it led to some impressive numbers in Serie A, where he averaged two interceptions and almost three tackles per match.

In attack, Torreira launched numerous counter attacks for Sampdoria with clever through balls and long passes, and he also showed off his smarts around the box against tight defences.

He even scored the occasional scorcher, like this sensational goal against Chievo:

A fee of roughly £26 million seems fair value for Torreira, a blossoming talent who still has plenty of room for growth.

Sampdoria's project lost a lot of steam last season―they finished in 10th place in Serie A but were expected to push for a European spot―and after losing Milan Skriniar, Patrik Schick and Luis Muriel last summer, now seems like a good time to reinvest and build for the future.

For Arsenal, Torreira will be expected to pair with Switzerland international Granit Xhaka, who signed a new contract with the club on June 15, per the team's official website.

Torreira's strong defensive work should open up more passing avenues for Xhaka and allow the former Borussia Monchengladbach man to focus on that aspect of his game. His best performances for the Gunners have come when he didn't have to play too close to his own goal, where he can get reckless at times.